Honored Veterans Deserve Our Lasting Gratitude

Huskers' Gold Star Guests to Unleash Gold Balloons

2015 Memorial Stadium Tribute to Nebraska's Veterans

Randy York N-Sider

Official Blog of the Huskers

This week, a Husker fan told me that Nebraska honors American veterans like no one else. I have no evidence to prove that sweeping statement, but I’m inclined to agree. The Huskers put a patriotic stamp on what veterans mean to Husker fans with a heartfelt show that defines why Memorial Stadium’s four cornerstones reflect a deep and abiding commitment.

This year, one of the “Cathedrals of College Football” has doubled its plate in saluting native Nebraska veterans. The Huskers are honoring 35 Gold Star Children and 22 of their Nebraska mothers who became widows when their husbands died in wars waged in Iraq and Afghanistan. Saturday night’s nationally televised Nebraska-Michigan State football game features eight Veterans Day honorees who will serve as honorary gate sentinels for the Huskers’ Tunnel Walk.

We urge Husker fans to take a moment and remember the sacrifices of the brave men and women who have valiantly fought to make America the greatest nation on Earth. Some will be part of Memorial Stadium's 2015 Tribute to Nebraska Veterans pre-game ceremony. We also encourage you to read the full bios of all eight honorees in the link directly below:

2015 Memorial Stadium Tribute to Nebraska's Veterans

America: The Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave

Once you see the depth of these heroes and “she-roes” and their commitment to our country, please take the time to pass on this information and share it using social media, e-mail, texting or however else you choose to communicate. 

I agree with those who believe there’s only one higher office than president – the American patriot. I also agree that our nation remains the land of the free because we’re the home of the brave. Having a late father who served in WW II, I support all veterans and thank them and their families for sacrificing so that the rest of us can enjoy the freedom we have. That commitment to and for our country has earned all veterans our lasting gratitude.

In this world of sound bites, I understand why so many readers might not take the time to read the honored veterans’ full bios. So I’ll steal a page from Husker mega-fan Cliff Hillegass, the late founder of Lincoln-based CliffsNotes. He helped students everywhere understand the big points, so they could become more enthusiastic about learning the smaller points.

Nebraska Veterans Served Country with Dedication, Honor

With that mind, please help us honor the following Nebraska native veterans serving as Saturday night’s honorary gate sentinels. We also express our gratitude for Omaha colleague Terry Currey, an Air Traffic Control Air Force veteran who puts his heart and soul into writing the bios of our annual honorary gate sentinels. Here's our CliffsNotes version:

West Point’s George Kubik (U.S. Army) survived 33 months of combat conditions in the "year-around" winter of the North Pacific's Aleutian Islands.

Lincoln’s Wes Shepard (U.S. Navy) went on to become one of Nebraska's Hall-of-Fame high school basketball coaches.

Chadron’s Gil Hill (U.S. Navy) served on a ship, the USS Manderson Victory, which   came within 100 feet of being hit by a Japanese Kamikaze plane.

Bellevue’s Herman Brown (U.S. Air Force) served both in Korea and Viet Nam. Only a patriot would do that kind of double duty.

Lincoln’s Marlene Sorenson (U.S. Army) served as a Defense Department intelligence analyst, cryptanalyst, and linguist at the National Security Agency.

Fremont’s Alex Nguyen (U.S. Marine Corps – Purple Heart) lost a leg in one of the USMC's longest continuous battles, NOW ZAT Afghanistan.  The good news: Alex will try out for the 2016 U.S. Paralympic Track and Field Team.

Lincoln’s Shawn Burke (U.S. Army – Purple Heart) also lost a leg in Afghanistan when the Stryker armored vehicle he was driving struck an improvised explosive device (IED).

Lincoln’s Aaron Burke (U.S. Marine Corps) is Shawn's brother. He shielded his parents from the events of his Afghanistan tour because he knew that they were dealing with the extremely emotional circumstances of his brother's wounds. He did not want to add to their parents' fears.

Several Hundred Active Military and Veterans Will Be Honored

Those eight 2015 honorees are much broader than the quick sentences I’m sharing in this blog. So if you haven’t already, please read more about each honoree.

Overall, Saturday’s Veterans/Military Salute will honor several hundred active military and veterans who will be sitting on Memorial Stadium’s east apron. The Cornhusker Marching Band will play the Armed Forces Medley with a color guard from each branch represented.

During the National Anthem, names will be scrolled on the HuskerVision screens to honor those with Nebraska ties who have lost their lives serving our country since 9/11, followed by gold balloons from the children who lost their fathers in wars over the past 14 years.

This will be another pregame ceremony that can bring tears to your eyes. HuskerVision, as always, makes Memorial Stadium as memorable as any stadium in America when it comes to honoring real American heroes.

Nobody does it better.

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